Every project has two fundamental aspects to it: functional and non-functional requirements. Functional requirements are those things that are necessary for something to be considered "working". Does the form insert into the SQL database properly? Is the server up when you need to use it? Too often, this is how many people judge the performance of a product. I confess that I, too, often fall prey to the temptation of getting something just "working", then moving onto the next exciting task. This article is a brief reflection on the importance of maintaining non-functional requirements, and my path to doing so.
Click here to keep readingAt the 2017 Engineering Science Education Conference (ESEC), Dr. Donald Sadoway, John F. Elliot Professor of Materials Chemistry at MIT and EngSci alumnus, described his work developing a "liquid metal battery". Batteries, in their simplest form supplying a voltage resulting from redox reactions occurring at electrodes connected by an electrolyte, are essential to modern society. Batteries power our smartphones, flashlights, laptops, and even pacemakers. Typical batteries are well-suited for small applications: They can be designed to provide a steady voltage for most of their lifetime, with little energy being lost while the batter is not in use. However, on the large scale, power is typically not stored. Rather, it is produced, sent into the electrical grid, and consumed nearly instantaneously. Advancement in energy storage such as liquid metal batteries aim to alter this cycle of instant production and consumption. This article will seek to explore the potential for large-scale energy storage in our power-hungry society.
Click here to keep readingBecause of personal projects as well as school-related files accumulating over time, the amount of digital storage space required to store my files has grown beyond what I can currently store. For the past five years, I have stored most of my main documents (school notes, etc.) using online ("cloud") storage services. These services have the main benefit of securing documents against loss from physical destruction (e.g. a broken hard drive), and they also allow for universal access to files in any location and on most devices. However, such means are not as suitable for storing large files and computer backups. This article will explore various alternatives, with the goal of selecting the ideal one for my use cases.
Click here to keep readingThe Steam Controller by Valve Corporation is differently shaped than other game controllers, and uses a unique pair of dual trackpads in place of traditional analogue stick and d-pad. These design considerations can be considered an improvement with regards to Design for Usability over traditional game input devices. This article will explore the advantage the Steam Controller gives PC gamers over traditional console-style game controllers, both in terms of features and design.
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